Allah did not leave humanity to its own devices. From the first human, Prophet Adam, to the final messenger, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Allah sent many prophets to guide His servants. This is the greatest manifestation of divine mercy — for though human intellect can perceive the existence of Allah, it cannot know how to worship Him, what He commands, and what He forbids, except through revelation. This sermon explores what prophethood means, the qualities of the prophets, their duties, and the place of the final messenger in this sacred chain.
What Is Prophethood?
In Arabic, prophethood is expressed by two terms — risalah and nubuwwah — and the appointed servant is called either a Rasul (Messenger) or a Nabi (Prophet).
The distinction between them: A prophet who is given a new revealed book is called Rasul; one charged with applying the book of a previous messenger is called Nabi. Every Rasul is also a Nabi; but not every Nabi is a Rasul.
Prophethood is not earned through effort but bestowed by divine grace: Allah grants it to whom He wills. When some Meccan polytheists objected, "Why was prophethood given to Muhammad and not to us?" Allah answered:
ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ حَيۡثُ يَجۡعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُۥ
— Surah Al-An'am 6:124Allah knows best where to place His message.
The wisdom of sending prophets is declared by Allah Himself:
رُّسُلࣰ ا مُّبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ حُجَّةُۢ بَعۡدَ ٱلرُّسُلِۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمࣰ ا
— Surah An-Nisa 4:165Messengers as bearers of glad tidings and warners, so that humanity may have no argument against Allah after the messengers. And Allah is Mighty, All-Wise.
So that no one may say on the Day of Reckoning "If only someone had told us, we would have turned back," Allah sent prophets. They are the messengers of divine mercy that close every excuse to humankind.
The Chain of Revelation
Allah preserved prophethood as a continuous chain, leaving no nation without guidance:
۞إِنَّآ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ كَمَآ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ نُوحࣲ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦۚ وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسۡمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسۡحَٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ وَٱلۡأَسۡبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَٰرُونَ وَسُلَيۡمَٰنَۚ وَءَاتَيۡنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورࣰ ا
— Surah An-Nisa 4:163We have indeed revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh and to the prophets after him. We revealed to Ibrahim, Isma'il, Ishaq, Ya'qub, and the descendants, to Isa, Ayyub, Yunus, Harun, and Sulayman; and We gave Dawud the Zabur.
The Qur'an mentions twenty-five prophets by name: Adam, Idris, Nuh, Hud, Salih, Ibrahim, Lut, Isma'il, Ishaq, Ya'qub, Yusuf, Ayyub, Shu'ayb, Musa, Harun, Yunus, Dawud, Sulayman, Ilyas, al-Yasa, Zakariyya, Yahya, Isa, Dhu'l-Kifl, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). But these are not all the prophets sent. Allah says:
وَرُسُلࣰ ا قَدۡ قَصَصۡنَٰهُمۡ عَلَيۡكَ مِن قَبۡلُ وَرُسُلࣰ ا لَّمۡ نَقۡصُصۡهُمۡ عَلَيۡكَۚ وَكَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُ مُوسَىٰ تَكۡلِيمࣰ ا
— Surah An-Nisa 4:164Messengers We have already mentioned to you, and messengers We have not mentioned to you. And to Musa, Allah spoke directly.
This verse confirms that the prophets are not limited to those named in the Qur'an; many more were sent whose names only Allah knows. This is the answer to the question "Why have prophets all come from one region?" — every nation was sent a messenger, but only Allah knows their names and places.
The Five Qualities of the Prophets
Five qualities are essential to every prophet:
- Sidq (Truthfulness): A prophet does not lie or deceive. Truthfulness is the unchanging mark of prophethood.
- Amanah (Trustworthiness): Allah declares: "It is not for a prophet to betray a trust" (Al-Imran 3:161). Prophets keep absolute fidelity to the revelation, mission, and trust placed in them.
- Ismah (Protection from sin): Prophets are protected from shirk and major sins. Without this protection, people could not trust them or take them as models.
- Fatanah (Wisdom and acuteness of mind): Prophets are intelligent and wise; this is essential to conveyance and teaching.
- Tabligh (Conveyance): This is the primary task. The prophet delivers revelation in full, concealing nothing.
The Duties of the Prophets
Prophets have two fundamental duties.
The First Duty — Conveyance
Delivering the revelation to humanity. Allah addresses His Messenger:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ بَلِّغۡ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ مِن رَّبِّكَۖ وَإِن لَّمۡ تَفۡعَلۡ فَمَا بَلَّغۡتَ رِسَالَتَهُۥ
— Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:67O Messenger! Convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord. If you do not, you will not have conveyed His message.
Once the prophet has delivered the message, responsibility transfers to those who hear it. The prophet too will be questioned on the Day of Judgment, but the questions differ: communities will be asked "Did you follow your messenger?" — the prophets will be asked "What response did you receive?"
Allah does not permit His Messenger to compel anyone:
أَفَأَنتَ تُكۡرِهُ ٱلنَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُواْ مُؤۡمِنِينَ
— Surah Yunus 10:99Will you then compel humankind, against their will, to believe?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) used love, patience, and wisdom in conveyance — never pressure or threat. His own uncle, Abu Talib, is the most poignant illustration. The Prophet had been protected by Abu Talib throughout his life and longed for his faith. On his deathbed, the Prophet pleaded with him to say "La ilaha illa Allah." Abu Talib breathed his last saying instead, "I am upon the religion of Abd al-Muttalib." The Prophet was deeply grieved; and Allah sent down:
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهۡدِي مَنۡ أَحۡبَبۡتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُ
— Surah Al-Qasas 28:56Indeed, you cannot guide whoever you love, but Allah guides whom He wills.
To call to guidance is the prophet's task; to grant guidance is Allah's prerogative.
The Second Duty — Beyan (Explanation)
The prophet's second duty is to explain the revelation:
وَأَنزَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ ٱلذِّكۡرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
— Surah An-Nahl 16:44We have sent down to you the Reminder so that you may explain to humanity what has been revealed to them, and that they may reflect.
The Qur'an commands "Establish prayer" — but the number of rak'ahs, the recitations, the times, the postures, were shown by the Prophet himself. The Prophet said: "Pray as you see me praying" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Adhan, 631). The same holds for zakat: Allah says "give zakat," and the prophet teaches from which wealth, in what amount.
For this reason the Sunnah of the Prophet cannot be separated from the Qur'an. The Qur'an itself equates obedience to the Messenger with obedience to Allah:
مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدۡ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّهَ
— Surah An-Nisa 4:80Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah.
Prophets Are Human
Prophets are human like us. They eat, drink, marry, raise children; they feel joy, sorrow, illness, and finally death. The Qur'an firmly rejects the Christian elevation of Prophet Isa to divine status:
لَن يَسۡتَنكِفَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ أَن يَكُونَ عَبۡدࣰ ا لِّلَّهِ
— Surah An-Nisa 4:172The Messiah does not disdain to be a servant of Allah.
Prophet Isa is always called "the son of Maryam" — to emphasize his humanity and his servanthood to Allah. When the delegation of Najran objected, "Why do you insult our master?" the Prophet replied: "To be a servant of Allah is no insult — it is an honour."
The Universality of the Final Messenger
The earlier prophets were sent to their own people; Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the final messenger sent to all humanity:
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ إِلَّا كَآفَّةࣰ لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرࣰ ا وَنَذِيرࣰ ا
— Surah Saba 34:28We have not sent you except as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner for all of humanity.
In another surah, his coming is described as universal mercy:
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ إِلَّا رَحۡمَةࣰ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ
— Surah Al-Anbiya 21:107We have not sent you except as a mercy to all the worlds.
And he is the seal of the prophets:
مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَآ أَحَدࣲ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمۡ وَلَٰكِن رَّسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ
— Surah Al-Ahzab 33:40Muhammad is not the father of any of your men but the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets.
Stories
Ibrahim's Search for His Lord
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), in his youth, walked out at night and looked at the stars. He first said: "This is my Lord." When the stars set, he said: "I do not love what sets." He turned to the moon, then to the sun; each one set. Finally he turned his gaze to the unseen Creator: "I have turned my face as a hanif toward Him who created the heavens and the earth" (Al-An'am 6:79). The intellect alone can reach the existence of Allah; but for how to worship Him, revelation is needed. Allah rewarded Ibrahim's sincere search with prophethood.
Musa and Mount Tur
Prophet Musa (peace be upon him), travelling with his family, saw a fire on Mount Tur and approached, saying: "Perhaps I can bring you a flame from it." As he drew near, Allah called him: "O Musa! Indeed, I am your Lord. Take off your sandals — you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa" (Ta-Ha 20:11-12). This was Allah speaking directly to His servant — and so the Qur'an calls Musa Kalim Allah (the One Allah spoke to) (an-Nisa 4:164). It is one of the clearest illustrations of prophethood as divine bestowal.
"I Swear, I Will Ask You..."
On one of his days in Medina, a stranger Bedouin entered the Prophet's mosque. "Which of you is the son of Abd al-Muttalib?" he asked. The Prophet said: "I am." The Bedouin said: "O Muhammad, I am going to ask you some questions. I swear by Allah I will press you. Do not be angry." The Prophet said: "Ask whatever comes to your mind."
The Bedouin asked, one by one, about the essentials of Islam — that one must not despair of Allah's mercy, prayer, zakat, fasting, hajj. The Prophet answered each calmly and plainly. At last the Bedouin said: "By Allah who sent you with the truth, I will not do more or less than this." The Prophet said: "If he does what he says, he will enter Paradise."
— Sahih al-Bukhari, Ilm, no. 63This hadith is a living portrait of the Prophet's manner in conveyance. He did not get angry with the Bedouin, did not yield to a harsh tone, and presented the religion as simply as possible. The essentials of Islam fit into five questions and answers. The prophet was sent to announce the truth, not to impose it.
Suhayb's Migration
Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to migrate from Mecca to Medina, but the Quraysh blocked his path: "You came to us in poverty and became rich here. We will not let you leave with your wealth and your life." Suhayb said: "If I leave my entire wealth with you, will you let me go?" They said: "Yes." Suhayb gave them everything he had accumulated over the years and set out for Medina. When he arrived, the Prophet said the moment he saw him:
— "O Abu Yahya, what a profitable transaction!"
Suhayb was surprised. Then he understood: All of worldly wealth on one side; the praise of the Messenger of Allah on the other. The good news in the prophet's words extended the transaction's profit all the way to Paradise.
This story is the symbol of how, whatever the cost, reaching the prophet must be paid for.
Living the Awareness of Prophethood With VAAZ
The 99 Beautiful Names of Allah collection in the VAAZ app features Al-Hadi (the Guide), Al-Mubayyin (the One who makes things clear), and Ar-Rahman (the Most Merciful) — three windows into the divine wisdom of sending prophets. The dua archive contains the salawat upon the Prophet — when added to daily dhikr, it preserves both love of the Prophet and adherence to his Sunnah.
For the practical reflection of prophet-consciousness in daily life, see the Sermon on the Prophets' Stories; for the virtues of salawat, see the Sermon on Salawat. Prophethood is Allah's greatest favour to humanity — a heart untouched by revelation would be left in darkness, and a generation without a messenger would be left without measure.
References
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah An-Nisa 4:80, 4:163-165, 4:172.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:67.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Al-An'am 6:79, 6:124.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Yunus 10:99.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah An-Nahl 16:44.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Al-Anbiya 21:107.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Ta-Ha 20:11-12.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Al-Qasas 28:56.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Al-Ahzab 33:40.
- The Noble Qur'an, Surah Saba 34:28.
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Ilm, hadith no. 63 (The Bedouin's questions).
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Adhan, hadith no. 631 ("Pray as you see me praying").
- al-Alusi, Ruh al-Ma'ani, on Prophet Isa and the Najran delegation.